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New Zealand outclassed: South Africa claim series with 204-run win

Steyn leads the line with five-for on his full return to Test cricket

News Desk August 31, 2016

Steyn celebrates with his teammate on his way to his 26th career five-for, leaving only six bowlers in history who took five wickets more times in a Test innings. PHOTO: AFP

Dale Steyn was once again the star of the show for South Africa as he claimed his career’s 26th five-for to give the hosts a comfortable 204-run win inside four days of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Centurion.

The win also hands the Proteas the series after the first match in Durban ended in a draw due to rain and a wet outfield, helping them climb up the International Cricket Council’s Test ranking from seventh to fifth.

South Africa hold aces against New Zealand despite collapse

South Africa had started the day on 105-6 in their second innings, with a lead of 372 already in hand, and declared after drinks in the morning session at 132-7 to give New Zealand exactly 400 to chase.

The chase would have been the Black Cap’s highest-ever in Tests, along with the highest-ever in South Africa, but those records were never in danger as new-ball partners Steyn and Vernon Philander ran through the New Zealand top order courtesy of a lethal combination of pace, swing and uneven bounce from the pitch.

Du Plessis ton puts South Africa on top

Steyn dismissed both openers on a golden duck in the very first over, making the outcome of the match more of a case of when rather than if. And when Ross Taylor and skipper Kane Williamson followed soon after to make the score 7-4, New Zealand seemed in danger of being dismissed for their lowest-ever score in Test cricket.

But some commendable application from the lower order, combined with the conditions becoming a bit easier once the new ball wore out, helped them get some sort of respectability to the total, being dismissed for 195.

Proteas in complete control on day one

Henry Nicholls, last man out, was the highest scorer for the Black Caps with a fighting 76 off 140 balls.

For South Africa, Steyn stood out with 5-33 but Philander and Kagiso Rabada also troubled the batsmen and had figures of 2-34 and 2-54 to show alongside their name for their efforts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2016.

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